Sepp has been - the best way to describe it - trying to "clear his throat" 3-5 times a day for the past five days or so. It's a cross between that and something like trying to hack up a hairball... no vomiting at all, no discharge... just this really weird goose-honking noise. Those episodes don't last long, but they happen often enough for me to notice.He's acting/eating/pooping/peeing normal. No fever, no weight loss, normal activity. The only other thing he's been doing is pacing a lot at night, but he will eventually settle down and go to sleep.I've checked his mouth and teeth... no foreign objects, as far as I can see. No lumps and no swelling visible on the outside of his throat and neck.

So, I googled the symptoms and came up w/three possibilities, kennel cough being one of them. Since this is very contagious - wouldn't the other two dogs show those symptoms as well?Sepp was vaccinated for bordatella last March, and we don't hang out w/strange dogs - is it possible that he caught it anyway? And how?

We have an appointment at the end of next week... should I bring him in earlier?

It is possible he got it anyway, though I'd think its pretty unlikely. He might have been able to get it from the environment outdoors, one dog coughs in one spot and then he sniffed there, etc. Could also be he got a foreign object caught up his nose or in his throat...

I assume if there's heartworm in your area he's treated?

I'm not sure if I were in your place I'd rush in just yet, maybe if it were happening a bit more often, though the pacing is weird.

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
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"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

amazincc wrote:No, not like reverse sneezing... more like gagging and honking. He hunches over like he's going to throw up, and then he gulps for air.All my dogs are on heartworm preventative.

I just rescheduled his appointment for this Thursday afternoon. If I wait another week it's going to drive me crazy.

well there ya go Make sure to let them know that you think he may or may not have KC

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
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"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

I also think the KC vaccine is only good for 6 months and covers only a few strains. So it's possible. Maybe the poor kid just has an upper respiratory infection. Is the pacing a new development for him? And is the coughing more frequent at certain times of day or night?

"Remember - every time your dog gets somewhere on a tight leash *a fairy dies and it's all your fault.* Think of the fairies." http://www.positivepetzine.com"

Yeah, the pacing is new... he is very restless, especially at night.The coughing mostly happens when he's just being quiet/resting... not while playing or during major activities.I already washed all the beds, and I vacuum every day.His snoring has increased a LOT, and his bark sounds hoarser/deeper than usual.

I already told the vet about the "cough", so we will wait in a separate area when we get there.

I actually hope it's *only* kennel cough, and not some other weird thing... google is scary.

My little foster baby has Kennel cough, probably picked up from a pet store, she has had the vacc. for some strange reason my dogs dont have it and they have never had the vacc for it. Very strange! Fiona's started in the middle of the night, i thought she was choking neways i hope sepp feels all better very very soon!!!

Rip had a mild form of KC a while back, I think...he coughed for a few days, but no one else in the house picked it up. My neighbors dogs got KC back in the fall (they came over to tell us... )...and though they share a fence (and fence fight ), none of mine got it then either.

It's a fickle thing, that kennel cough...

"I don't have any idea if my dogs respect me or not, but they're greedy and I have their stuff." -- Patty Ruzzo

"Dogs don't want to control people. They want to control their own lives." --John Bradshaw

I had all the windows open today, and fresh air definitely seemed to help a little bit. He's still doing it, but not as often.I also only smoked outside, away from him... since he almost sounds like he has bronchitis. I don't know if dogs even get bronchitis, but the cigarette smoke must be very irritating.

Christine, My mom just took Tassie in today because she has been coughing ever since she came home from the groomer. A couple of weeks ago. She is coughing up foamy stuff with it sometimes. The doctor looked in her throat and said that it is very irritated and inflamed. (her tonsils) She said that she has something like bronchitis. Not kennel cough. She has her on antibiotics for 10 days.

Trouble had some coughing after being boarded one time. They put her on meds, after the second day they weren't doing any good, I called to tell them we needed to change to something else. I was ready to take her in for chest x-rays, thought she had lung mets. Dr F told me to go get some Robatusin DM, I'm not remembering the exact dosage, but two doses later there was a huge difference and in a couple of days it was gone completely.

Shanna, I will call first thing in the morning and ask about giving some cough syrup until we get in for our appointment.

Wow, Missy... who knew? I hope Tassie gets feeling better soon.

Liz... Yup, I'm more likely to quit when it comes to the dogs' health than I would for myself. Smoking outside in 30 degree weather isn't as bad as I thought... but if it's really bothering Sepp in the future I'm probably gonna give it up.

Poor Sepp. Ino was doing the same thing a week ago and had me scared to death after I searched the "gag" cough without vomiting and pacing (and he was also drooling a bit- which he also does when he is stressed, so wasnt sure if that was an actual symptom)- bloat (my big fear) came up so I decided to sleep on the futon mattress with him and hardly slept that night so I could watch over him. It didnt seem like nausea because he wanted to eat, so I gave him a little peanut butter and youghurt to try to see if I could help him clear whatever was bothering him. About 24 hours after it started, it ended. I think he had something in his throat (probably a wood chip because he is obsessed with finding and chewing sticks). Now, I started bringing a toy that he loves on our walk so if he grabs a stick, the toy is more valuable and he will drop the stick. I hope whatever it ends up being, they can clear it up fast and your boy feels better!